Electroplating machine



D. J. BORODIN ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Dec. 20, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed sept. 1e, 195? Dec. 20, 1960 D. J BORODlN 2,965,110

ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Filed sept. 16, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 wm www Dec.20,` 1960 D, J, BQRODlN 2,965,110

ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Eil- INVENTOR. @HN/Z J. @GRO/N Dec. 20, 1960 D. J. BoRoDlN ELECTROPLATINGMACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 16, 1957 INV ENTOR. @4W/Z d.BORGO/N ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Daniel J. Borodin, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to Wagner Brothers, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Filed Sept. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 684,150

v 24 Claims. (Cl. 134-76) -to accommodate the new plating cycle.

:The present invention has for its object the provision of a platingmachine of the automatic type that is constructed so that the machine isadapted to accommodate diiferent plating cycles. For example, oneplating cycle might require a series of single station tanks or perhapsa single tank with four or five stations in the tank. Another platingcycle might require less single station plating tanks or less stationswithin a multiple station tank.

The machine of the present invention is constructed so that one or morestations along the path of travel of the work pieces may be selectivelyskipped by rendering certain components of the machine either operativeor inoperative.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of anelectroplating machine of the automatic type wherein work pieces aretransferred in an elevated position from not shown. In Figures 1 and 2,one side of the machine one tank to another and wherein the work piecesare con? v eyed through a tank on cathode rails, the arrangement beingsuch that the transfer distance between the adjacent stations ofadjacent tanks is the same as the spacing between successive stations ina multiple station tank.

In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a plating machine embodyingthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 inFigure 1.

4Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Figu re 2 andshowing the components of the machine at a different point in the cycleof the machine.

,f Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3 showingthe pusher arms in the inoperative position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the means forsuspending the work pieces above the tanks at one station.

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6 6 in Figure 5.

Figure 7 isla perspective view'of the arrangement .shown in Figure V5.

a sectional view alongrthe' line 8- 8 in Fig- Figurel9 'isaside'elevaltional viewovfl'a portion of the machine as seen in theldirection fth arrow 9 in yFigf;

ure 2.

Figure isa fragi'nfentary*i thea'djustable- -l'ift angles onthe'elevator mechansr'n'of the'inchine.

' detail in myco-pending 2,965,116 Patenfedpec. 2o, 1960` is shown. Theother side of the machine, not illustrated,; may be constructedsubstantially the same as the side illustrated in these figures.

Along the longitudinal center line of the base 16, there is arranged anupright carriage 18 which is mounted on rollers 20 for reciprocationlengthwise of the machine. The carriage 18 is driven by a hydromotor 19.Carriage 18 is supported in an upright position by means of stationarypanel members 22 mounted on base 16 and extending lengthwise along eachside of carriage 18. At predetermined locations along carriage 18 thereare mounted elevator housings 24 in which vertical elevator columns 26are arranged for vertical movement. Each column 26 is formed with a gearrack portion 28 which meshes with a drive gear 29 on a shaft 30 drivenby a motor 32,. 'This general arrangement of the base 16, carriage 18with elevators 26 and the supporting panels 22 is shown and described indetail in my application Serial No. 596,712,. tiled July 9, 1956.

Carriage 18 has mounted thereon a plurality of hori zontally extendingfixed brackets 34 provided with sup-- port blocks 36 at the free endsthereof. A shaft 38 ex tends through support blocks 36 and is supportedthereby.. Arms 40 are pivotally supported on shaft 38 by means of'bearing blocks 42. Arms 40 are spaced along shaft 381 a distancecorresponding generally to the spacing between. successive stations ofthe machine.

lt will be noted that the spacing between the station A at the end oftank 10 and the rst station B in the tank' 12 is equal to the spacingbetween the rst station B im tank 12 and the second station C in tank12. Likewise, the spacing between stations C and D and between D and- Eis equal to the spacing between stations A and B. v

At the free end of each pusher arm 40 there is adjustably supported bymeans of a clamp l44 a short I-beam: section 46 on which a pusher member48 is mounted.A Pusher member 48 includes a strap 50 extendingtransversely of the I-beam section 46 having depending plates 52 fixedat the opposite ends thereof. Each plate 52 is fashioned with adownwardly opening V-shaped notch 54 (Figure 9). The notches 54terminate in a slot 55 arranged to interengage with work carriers 56that are slidably supported on the cathode rails 58 that extendhorizontally over and lengthwise of the plating tanks.

Each carrier 56 comprises a pair of end castings 6l) having a centralweb portion 62 over which the V-shaped notches 54, 55 of pusher 48 areadapted to engage (Figure 2). The end castings 60 are connected by across bar 64, which in turn supports a hooked member 66, from which awork rack 68 is arranged to be suspended.

Carrier 56 is also provided with outwardly extending flanges 70 atopposite ends thereof and with inwardly projecting flanges 72. lThe,carriersare adjustable lengthwise of carriage 18 by shifting theI-beam sections 46 within clamps 44. The .Construction of clamps 44 isshownin. plication Serial No. {647,522}'1 Thus, the arms 40 4are'canseclto travel with the carriage` 18: Thesearms, as'pointedl-out previously,are journaled `onshaft 38; andI in thesoperativeposition shown in Figure2, each arm 40 is maintained in a position extending horizontally overthe tank by means of an adjustablefstopv screw 76, which engages a lug78 on a plate 80, which mounts thebearing-blo'cksAZ onarm 40.

`It will be observed thatk adjusting fscrew. 76 -is disposed on theopposite Vside yoff` shaft `38 :from pusher 48and that Y screw 76 isarranged to abut against the top side=of-lug 78. Each arm-40-isadaptedto be 'swung'V about the shaft 38 from the p ositionshowninFigure2 to the inoperative 'position shown in Figurefia4 'Phe-arms areadaptedl to be locked to-thecarriage -18 inf-the inoperative` positionby meansfof alpin 80gpassing through' alignedopenings yinco-operatingdugs 821and 841on the carriage andarms respectively` (Figure-4) `In the'portion of the machinedllustrated in Figure: l,A

two elevator columns 26 are shown. ends these two elevator columnsareinterconnected by a torque tube 86. Torquetube 8 6 isfixedly`connectedto short arms S8 at the upper ends of elevator columns 26. Theelevator structure for liftingv the carriers 56 from Attheir uppervrails S'Sris in turn mounted on the'torque tube 86. Thisl elevatorstructure includes a pairof arms `90Y projecting horizontallyYover--the-tanks from theY oppositeV ends of Y torque tube 86.'

Atl the outer end -of `eacharm 90; thereis adjustably mounted, as bymeansof aclamp 92,'a vertical strut 94.4 Clamps 92 are constructedlsimilarly to clamps 44. The lowerpendsof struts 94 are interconnectedbyahorizontally extending boom'comprising rectangular tubes 96.

At points `along boom 96 corresponding,V to-v the stations- A-, B,f C,D-'and -E,f there are-mountedlift plates 98 and- 100. The lift plates 98adjacentwopposite vendsof theV boom 96 are iixed whilev the lift plates100 at the intermediate stations are pivotally supported, asat 102,v soas to be swungf'from anoperative position shown in solidi lines inFigure l0, wherein theplates are horizontally` disposed to aninoperative position shown Vin broken lines, where the platesextend-generally vertically. Similar lift plates'98, 100' are mounted onthe torque tube 86 at pointsdiametrically, opposite the liftplatesontheV boom 96 by means of vertical struts 104.

As is shown in Figure 2, eachpusher arm 40 is provided at its inner endwith a cylindrical lug 106. Above each lug 106 there is mounted ontorquetube. 86, by

means of brackets, 107, a vertically adjustable dependaY ing stop member108; When therelevator structure'` descends, the stopsV 108 engagethelugs 106 to pivot arms 40 upwardly to the position shown in Figure 3,wherein the pusher members 48Y are elevated to aposition above.v

the carriers 56.

The skip station feature of lthepresent invention is il-v lustrated inFiguresl, 2, and 6. Adjacent the outer4 side of tank 12, there islixedly mounted a pair ofrupright columns 110, each of which has aninwardly eX- tending arm 112at its upper end. i The free ends of armsv112 support a boom 114, which extends longitudinally over tank 12generally along the center line of this` tank.

At the stationsV B, C andA D, there is mounted on boom 114 a shuttleplate assembly 1,16. Thisshuttle plate. as-

sembly includes support members 118 and 120, dependingfromv boom 114,which support a slide plate 1 22 having gibs 124 thereon forming aguide-way 126. Within guide-way 126 there isarranged a slide. block128.V which supports a shuttle plate 130. At the opposite ends ofguide-way 12,6 there are arrangedstops 132 forl limiting the slidingmovement off'shuttle1 plate 13,0. This arf rangement enables,v eachshuttle` plate, 130. to be shifted from anperatiyepositicn.invertcljalsumeut with thev corresponding station to aninoperative`position out, of nieuwe .,Qqrrespcnqing Station.

einem,

Referring to Figure 2, it will be observed that the outer anges -70.ofcarrier 56are. arranged tobeengaged.`

by the lift plates 98 or 100 while the inner flanges 72 are arranged tobe engaged by the shuttle plates 130. It will also be observed that inthe uppermost position of the elevator the flanges 72 of the carriersengaged by the lift plates 98 or 100arerspaced above the plane of thelift plates 130.

The cycleof 1the machineis -shown digrammatically in Figure l2. Therectangle shown here represents the path of travel ofeachof 'thevelevator lift plates. The.

the point O. The distance vb-frepresents the verticaltravela of the liftplates. Thev carriage. then moves forwardly through the distance c,which is equal to the-distance a,` to move the lift plates to the pointP. Thereafter, the

elevator structure is` actuated to lower the. lift plates through thedistance d, which is equal to the distance `b, and thereby againposition the liftplatesA at thestarting position M. trated atthepositionO inzits cycle.-v

In describing the operationl ofV this machine, let usF assume thatit-'is desired` to transfer each work carrier and theY racksupportedvthereby, fromvthe station Afin.y tank 10 to the station B intankf12 yand' that it is .desiredf to lower each .carrier into tank12rat'the stationD and); thereafter push the work rack through thetanklZ-t'o'! the station E and then transfer the-work raclcfromtanlcV 12to tank 14. Withthis cycle of operation, and' withVv the carriage in thepositionillustrated, the lift plates`" at stations-BY and:C arepivotedto the-operative posi; tion. shifted to. the operative position, andthepusher arms 40 adjacent stations B and C-are swung tothe inoperaf tiveposition shown in Figure 4.

Now, assuming, aspointed out previously, that the carriage and elevatorare at the point O in thecyclev illustrated in'F-igure l2, then acarrier 56 elevatedl from the end of tank` v10 is--supported by the-liftplates 98-in an elevated position at station A.` As the 'carriagemovesforwardly to the point P, the carrier 56, supported by' stationary liftplates 98, is shifted to the station B. Now,

when the elevator is lowered, the carrier 56, by reason of the anges 72,hangs on the shuttle plate at sitation B while the lift plates 98 lowertotheposition M. The carriage then retracts to the positionN` sothatthelift plates98 are again located at station A.`

If another work carrier has advanced to s tationA, this latterl'workcarrier Willbe elevated when thelelevator structure is again raised. Atthe same time, the lift plates 100b are located atthe-station B;Whenthe:

elevator structure is raised, these lift plates 100b engage the angesf70of the worlecarrier hung on'` shuttle plate 130 at station B and liftthe carrier off the shuttle plate; Then, when the carriage advances,this carrier is' moved to a position in alignment with the shuttle plate130 at`V the station C. The carrier is deposited on this shuttlei:

plate when the elevator structure is lowered.

1n the next cycle of the machine, the carrier hung:

fromthe shuttle. plate 130 atstation C Vis transferred by the Ylitplates 100C over the tank 12 to. thestation.D.`

Since the .Shuttle Plate.-` 130. at station!) iS .iltlthsyiueueiativeposition, when the elevator structure is loweredJj. that is, duringtravel 0f .the lftiplateslv frgatthe n'oint l? t0- thep9int-.M,tl1e.cartier Smmtedthueby,

is depositedA on the Acathode ra1ls':-58.

- 'n.be--fealiadrhaifhe InFiguresl and-.2, the carriage is illus# TheshuttleV plates 130. at'stations B- and- C are n @fansite the elevatorstructure is lowered, the adjustable stop 108 engages the lug 106 onpusher arm 40d to pivot the pusher arm 40d to the position shown inFigure 3.

Thereafter, when the carriage retracts from the point M to the point Nin its cycle, the pusher member 48 on arm 40d is shifted to a positiondirectly above the carrier4 at station D that is supported on the rails58. The elevator structure then raises to the elevated position and inso doing the stop 108 moves upwardly out of engagement with lug 106 sothat the V-shaped notches 54, 55

on the end plates 52 of the pusher 48 engage over the web portions 62 ofthe carriers 56. Then, as the carriage moves from the point O to thepoint P in its cycle, the carrier at station D is pushed along the rails58 from the station D to the station E.

lt will be observed that since the lift plates 100d areA pivoted to theinoperative position there will be no interference between these liftplates and the outer anges 70 on the carrier 56.

In the next cycle of the machine, the carrier located on the rails atthe station E will be picked up by the stationary lift plates 98 at theother end of the elevator boom and transferred to the rst station in thenext adjacent tank 14.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a plating machine which isdesigned to accommodate different plating cycles. With the arrangementdescribed, any station or any group of stations can be skipped orrendered operative, that is, at any station or at any group of stationsthe carriers can be retained in an elevated position or lowered onto thecathode rails. In addition, the machine of the present invention, byutilizing the' form of pushers 48 illustrated, insures that `the workwill be moved through the same distance whether being pushed from onestation within a tank to another station within' the tank or whetherbeing transferred in an elevated position from one station to the nextstation.l

The V-shaped notches 54 inthe end plates 52 *serveto accurately locatethe carriers at each station.' In addition, since there is no lostmotion between the push ers 48 and the carriers 56 moved thereby, thatis, since the carriers 56 move as a unit with the pushers 48, there isno impact between the pushers and thecarriers which: would tend to jarpieces loose from the work racks'68. v The pushers and the carriers moveforwardly at the same instance, thus the velocity* of the pusher 52 canbe-3 relatively high without much danger of pieces being jarred oil thework rack. Y

I claim: 1 I

1. In a machine for conveying work pieces withfan intermittent motionalong a generally straight path by means of rail supported carriers, thecombination com?vl prising, a carriage, means for reciprocating thecarriage in a direction generally parallel to said pathv of travelofytle work pieces, said carriage having a plurality of latr` allyextending arms thereon and movable with the ca'r'-" riage, pushersmounted on and movable with'said a'rfms; said arms being journaled onthe carriagefor pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane so thatthe push? ers are shifted vertically when the arms are pivoted, saidpushers having carrier engaging means thereon movable into and out ofengagement with the rail supported 'carriers in response to verticalmovement of the pushers, said carrier engaging means when engaged withsaid carriers providing a direct driving connection between the pushersand the carriers whereby to advance 'the carriers along the rails whenthe carriage moves through its stroke in one direction, and displaceablemeans op-` eratively connected with said arms for actuating the same,said displaceable means being timed with the reciprocation of thecarriage for swinging said arms in one direc-A tion to engage thepushers with the carriers at one end of the carriage stroke and forswinging said arms 'in the, opposite direction to disengage thepushersfrom the carriers at the other end of the carriage stroke.

, 6 2. .A machine as called for in claim 1 wherein 'said' arms arepivoted on said carriage for movement in a'v plane extendingtransversely of the line of reciprocation of the carriage.

3. A machine as called for in claim- 1 whereinsaidA carrier engagingmeans and the portions of the carriers engaged thereby comprisegenerally vertically extending lug and socket members which interlit oneinto the other when the pushers are moved downwardly toward thecarriers.

4. A machine as called for in claim 1 wherein said carrier engagingmeans comprises a member on said pusher having a downwardly openingV-shaped notch therein, said carriers having web portions engageable insaid V-shaped notches.

5. A machine as called for in claim 4 wherein said V-shaped notches aredisposed in a plane' generally parallel to said path of travel of thework pieces.

6. In a machine for conveying work pieces withan intermittent motionalong a generally straight path by means of rail supported carriers, thecombination comprising, a carriage, means for reciprocating the carriagein a direction generally parallel to said path of travel of the workpieces, a plurality of laterally extending, arms on the carriage andmovable with the carriage, pusher .members connected to and movable withsaid arms, said arms being journaled for pivotal movement and saidpushers being shifted vertically when said arms are pivoted, saidpushers having carrier, engaging means thereon movableinto and out ofengagement with 'the railsuppo'rted'carriers in response to verticalmovement of the pusl 1ers, said carrier engaging means when engaged withsaid carriers providing a driving connection between the pushers and thecarriersl whereby tol advance the carriers along the rails when thecarriage moves through its stroke in one direction, and displaceablemeansoperatively connected with said arms for actuating the same, saiddisplaceable means being timed with the reciprocation of the carriagefor pivoting said arms 40" in one direction to engage the pushers withthe carriers at one end of the carriage stroke and for pivoting said'arms in the opposite direction to disengage the pushers from thecarriers at the other end of the carriage stroke.

7. In a plating machine of the vtype wherein work pieces are conveyedwith an intermittent motion through a'Y series of stations in a platingtank by means of rail supported carriers, a combination of a carriage,means for reciprocating the carriage in a direction longitudinally ofthe-tank, a plurality of pusher members on the carriage vland movabletherewith, said pusher members extending over the tank and being movablein a generally verticalI direction on the carriage, said pusher membershaving means thereon which are engageable and disengageable with therail supported carriers in response to vertical "-rnovement of thepusher members, said carrier engaging means when engaged with saidcarriers forming a'driving connection between the pusher members and thecarriers whereby the carriers are moved along said rails when thecarriage moves through its stroke in one direction, and displaceablemeans operatively connected with said arms for actuating the same, saiddisplaceable means being timed with the movement of the carriage forlifting said pusher members to disengage the pusher membersv from thecarriers at one end of the carriage stroke andv` for lowering saidpusher members at the other end of the carriage stroke to reengage Athepusher members with the carriers.

i8. In a plating machine of the type wherein work pieces are conveyedwith anlintermittent motion through a series of stations in a'platingtankbymeans of rail supported carriers, the combination of `aj carriagepositioned alongside' the tank, means for reciprocating-r the!" carriagein a vdirection longitudinally v'f the f'tan'k, a( plurality oflaterally extending arms on the carriage: movable therewith andextending over said tanks; push# awarded to ,antlfmovabls with Sad.arms, Sad-arms being journaled Afor pivotal movementV and thepushersbeingV connected y'theretoso that'thepushers areA shifted in a generallyvertical direction inlre'spon'seto pivotal movement of said arms, saidpushers having means thereont-which areengageable anddisengageable'withfthe rail supported carriers in response toverticalhmove'ment ofl thespnshers, said carrier engaging means whenengaged with said carriersforming a driving connection betweeny thepushers and the carriers whereby the carriers are moved l.along,saidrailsy when the carriage moves through its, stroke in'onedirection, and displaceable means operatively connected with. said arms.for actuating the same, said displaceablemeans beinggtimedlwith themove-1Vj in a generally vertical plane extending transverselyof thedirection of travel of the carriage.

' l1.V A machine. asl called for in claim 8. wherein said carrierengagingmeans comprise memberson said push? ertsyhaving downwardlyopening V-shaped notches therein, said carriers havingupstandingportions engageable by saidN-shaped notches` whengthetpushersare movedl downwardly toward said carriers.y

l2. A machinetascalledfor in claim ll wherein the plane of each.V-shaped notch extendsv generally vertically and in a kdirectiongenerally parallel to the path'of travel .ofthe carriers.

I3. A machinel as called forin claim 12 wherein said V-shaped notchesare provided withan upwardly extend'- ing socket at theapex thereof,said carriershaving" portions thereof shaped to intert with said socketsto positively locate the carriers relative to the pushers when thepushers aremoved downwardly toward the carriers.k

121.. In a plating machine for conveying work piecesA withv anintermittent motion through a series of stations in a` plating tank bymeans of rail supported carriers,. the, combination of a carriage.positioned alongside .the

tank, means forreciprocating the carriage inra direction longitudinallyof the tank, a plurality of arms mounted onr` the carriage for movementtherewith and 'extendingV over said tanks, pushers connected to andmovable with said arms, said arms being journaled on said carriage forpivotal movement in argenerally vertical plane ex tending transverselyof 'the direction of travel of4 the carriers, said pushers having meansthereon which are:

engageable and disengageable with the carriers in respouse to verticalmovementof the pushers, `Said carrier engaging means when engagedI withsaid carriers form# ing a direct driving, connectionbetween the pushersand the carriers whereby the carriersfare moved alongsaid rails when thecarriagemoves through its stroke. in one direction2 a vertically movableelevator structure on said carriage, means for lowering the elevatorstructureat theforwardend ofthe, carriagetstroke and for raisingsaidelevator structure at the. rear end ofthe carriage stroke, and*means on said elevator structure engageable withsaidarms. for;swingingthe armsupwardly to causeVA the pushers to disengage thecarriers at the forward end` ofthe carriagev stroke and forA swingingthea'rms *down-l wardly at thrrearfeti. aft fha-ravag, .Stroke t9 wietllepashefaw. ea'gagefth arrierel5?. In machine ofthe. clas'stdescribedwhich includes essere. @matias twefaftangad. in few, the aiifef' tigLeft. @fait extedias-la1igti14aal1v over' 'th' tasks; Workarrie dini' rssli'tlably arranged on said`v rail, a carri-agef eem-.1a

carriage ,longitudinally of the rowof tanks, pusher member/s movabl'withthe carriage and selectively eng able withlthecarriersto advance themalong the'rail,` an

being movable tolan operative position wherein it engages and vsuspendsa carrier being lowered'by the lift members I at the forward end of thecarriage stroke and to an inoperative position wherein it is out of thevertical path` of travel `of thek last-mentioned carrier.

`16.WAv machine as called for in claim l5 wherein` said carriers arefashioned with ange portions engageable by said-lift members and whereinat least some of vsaid lift membersV are movable to a position whereinthe lift members by-pass said anges of said carriers.

91.7.The combination called for in claim l5v wherein said pusher membersare movably mounted on'said carria'ge for movement to an inoperativeposition wherein the pushers do not engage thelcarriers.

n1th In a machine ofthe class described which includes l arow of.-treatingf'tank's divided into successive stationst the combination ofa rail extending longitudinally over said row of tanks, work kcarriersslidably arranged'on rai1,'v a carriage extending along said row oftanks,

means.. for reciprocating. the carriage longitudinally of'saidlrow'of'tanks, ay plurality of pusher arms onA said vjv carriage.extending over said railfand supporting pusher members,l said arms.being pivoted about a generally" horizontal axis tora'isel'and lower thepusher members. whenft'he arms arepivotally actuated, saidpushermembersnhaving means thereon engageable and disengageable. with thecarriers in' response to vertical movement ofv the pusher (members, saidcarrier engaging means when engagedmwith said carriers forming .a directdriving connection between lthe/pusher members and `the carriers, anelevator structure vertically movable on said carriage andincludingliftmembers engageable with therail sup-y ported carriers to elevate them,means for raising theVV elevator Astructnrev'at the rear end oflthecarriage stroke and for lowering the elevator structure at theforwardl ofnthe carriage stroke, eachliftmerrrbers and'eachy pushermember moving from one stationfto. the next sta-V tion and then yback tosaid one station'during a com` plete cycleof the carriage, means forraising. the pusher members out of engagement with the carriers at theforwardend of the carriage` stroke andfor'lowering themintogengagement-with the carriers a'tf't'h'e rear end'of the CarriageVstraks,.rifa/ate.d Supper@ members. t S'mof Said" Stations. Seid.Support members -beftamovablawf al1-.011.'- erative .position-wherein acarrier `being lowered ,by said lift membersis engaged and' suspendedlabove the'ftanksl by the. supportmembersV and to an inoperativevposition.

whereink the.. support member is out'roflthefverticalpath of'travel of'a carrier` on-thelift membersf 1,9. A machine as calledvfor in` claim18y wherein said means forraising andloweringY said' pusher are"carriedy by` said elevator structure. t

20. Almachine as called for in claim wheremlsaid arms are journaled forpivotal movementon said carriage from a generally horizontaloperativelpositionover-l lying the rail to kan inoperative positionswungupwardly away .from the :'ral.

251g A machine asy called for in claim 18 wherein` said Banff" positionwherein the lift members engage the carriers on the rail when theelevator structure is raised to an inoperative position wherein the liftmembers by-pass the carriers on the rail when the elevator structure israised.

23. A machine as called for in claim 18 wherein said carriers include apair of opposed, generally horizontally disposed and spaced apartflanges, said support members comprising shuttle plates movable in adirection longitudinally of said row of tanks, said elevator structurebeing arranged to locate the carriers supported by said lift members atthe forward end of the carriage stroke so that the said ilanges on thecarrier overlie the shuttle plate when in operative position, where-byupon lowering of the elevator structure said flanges of the carriers areengaged by the shuttle plates in operative position to sus- 10 pend theengaged carriers in an elevated the tanks.

24. A machine as called for in claim 22 wherein said carriers areprovided with a second pair of opposed flanges, said second pair ofopposed flanges being disposed in a plane above the plane of said liftmembers when the elevator structure is in lowered position.

position abov References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,162,760 Fickinger Dec. 7, 1915 2,591,681 Davis Apr. 8, 19522,650,600 Davis Sept. l, 1953 2,736,441 Hauck Feb. 28, 1956 2,738,888Todd Mar. 20, 1956

